Loves Me Not?
by Midnight Star 2373
Summary: Katie Gardner and Travis Stoll have been fighting since kindergarten. Now, seniors, they must put the past aside if they are to get the lead roles in the school play and act like lovers. But each has a challenge; can they make the other love them? Or will they just continue to despise each other?
1. Chapter 1

So hey, if you don't know me, I love writing PJO stories. If you do know me, then I hope you'll enjoy another story. This is my first Tratie story, but I love this pairing. Anyway, read on! (and guess the song whose lyrics are below)

_You push me back_  
_I push you back_  
_Harder, harder_  
_You scream at me_  
_I scream at you_  
_Louder_

"Cut! Cut!" the director yelled, cutting Katie Gardner off midway through her lines.

"What?" Travis Stoll demanded. "Our lines were all correct!"

"But your faces," the play director, Mr. Mack, said, waving his arms around. He was part Italian but had a French accent. All the students, specifically the drama students, liked him. "They did not make me feel any emotion. They were like empty voids in which one falls into and dies—of boredom. They should be like the mighty ocean, deep and majestic, easy to fall into and drown. Or like the rolling seas, sometimes happy, sometimes tragic. With beauty and death combined in one.'

"What does that mean?" Travis scratched his head, confused by Mr. Mack's poetic way of speaking.

"You are supposed to be lovers in an impossible situation," Mr. Mack said, patiently explaining to him. "You look like two people who cannot stand each other. Why? You guys are amazing actors, but together—" he shook his head. "You don't work well."

Katie sighed. They were doing plain old Romeo and Juliet. She was Juliet, and Travis was Romeo. Katie had tried and worked hard for the lead role in the play every year. And now, in her senior year, she had finally gotten it. There was no way she'd lose it because of Travis Stoll. He'd already ruined her life already. But how could Mr. Mack expect them to get along? Ever since kindergarten they had had a rivalry and acting like they were in love—it was impossible.

"Mr. Mack, I cannot find any pleasure in this beridden world with thou as my partner," Katie said, trying to sound like Shakespeare. "Ever since his maggot filled mind decided to come into my pleasurable life, I was cast into a pit of no return."

Travis glared at Katie. She smiled sweetly at him in return.

"I appreciate your attempts at Shakespearean talk, but no," Mr. Mack shook his head. "And on a serious note, if you two cannot work together we'll have to replace you. The show is in three weeks. You have one week to get your act together." He demonstrated his point with wide sweeps of his arms. Katie had heard that Italians did a lot of hand gestures when talking.

"Oh, don't worry,' Katie shot a look at Travis. "He'll learn to work with me." _Or he'll regret ever living,_ she mentally added.

"Until next week," Mr. Mack dismissed them. Drama students filtered out of the auditorium, grabbing their bags as they went. As Katie saw Travis hop off the stage, she knew she would have to take extreme measures if they were to act well together.

"Travis!" Katie snapped.

"What did I do?"

Katie's face softened. She felt a touch of pity for the dimwitted boy…and it was short lived. "You should know. Anyway, come to my house tomorrow and we'll practice. Here's my address."

"I already know it," Travis replied. He rattled it off by memory.

"How?" Katie asked, thinking him a stalker. Who else knows where everyone lives? Well, besides his brother, Conner. He knew many things he shouldn't know.

"I have my ways," Travis winked. Katie raised an eyebrow as she packed up. She didn't doubt his ways were weird and possible illegal. Travis was a strange boy. Her own mother, Demeter, had said she knew his father. Apparently Hermes was even stranger. Hermes was the creator of Hermes Express, a mail company that worked all over the world. A mail company that was notorious for sometimes not sending mail. Where all the mail that wasn't sent went, no one but Hermes knows. Demeter suspected that it was stolen by Hermes, who himself was notorious for stealing things. Still it was a pretty popular company. (Probably due to the cheap over-sea shipping rates and Hermes' fun personality.)

So maybe Travis had an excuse for being weird. But he had no excuse for what he put Katie through. Years of stealing her stuff, playing pranks on her, and basically embarrassing her to no end. And now she had to play his partner in the school play. She was so excited. (Note the sarcasm). Could she really put the past behind her and move on? Or, even harder, could Travis? It would take commitment and work, but Katie was determined not to lose. She would do anything to get that part in the school play. She just hoped Travis felt the same.

* * *

**So, the wonderful first chapter (If I may say so myself). I know it's short, but I didn't want to give too much away. Next chapter will be longer, I promise. Please review? You'll get an invisible cookie! And don't forget to PM me what the song above is. You'll get a shout-out! ****_-Midnight Star 2373_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Two reviews in the first hour this story was up…Wow, thanks guys! And yes, Dan son of Poseidon, there will be other couples in here. Probably not until chapter 3 or 4, though.**

** Also, thanks to those who reviewed. I don't put up the winners of the song guessing till, like, chapter 5 so people have a chance to guess.**

* * *

_Say what you wanna say,  
and let the words fall out  
honestly, I wanna see you be__

Travis didn't even bother to knock. He walked straight into the two-floor farm house. Katie was in the kitchen, and she glared at him as he walked in.

"Can't you even knock?" she demanded.

"Why bother?" Travis asked, sticking his head in the fridge as he searched for something to eat. "You'll just let me in anyway. So it's just easier for the both of us if I just walk in. Besides, you invited me."

"It's polite to knock," Katie grumbled.

"Am I polite?" Travis said, lifting his head out of the fridge, a plastic container in hand.

"No," Katie sighed. "We should start practicing." She took out her script and unrolled it.

"Why should we practice the speaking parts?" Travis asked. "Mr. Mack said we just needed to work on facial expressions."

Katie groaned and chucked the script at the wall. "That's the problem!" she yelled.

Travis blinked. "I just said that."

Katie gave him a glare that if looks could kill, he'd be dead. "No. The problem is that we cannot get along. We can barely act civilized around each other, let alone acting like we're in love! This is impossible. We should just tell him it won't work."

"I have an idea," Travis spoke up. Katie bit her lip.

"Most of your ideas are bad," she pointed out.

"I know," he grinned his lopsided grin and cocked his head to the side. "But this one is even worse than all of those. It's also our only chance."

"What is it?" Katie sighed, giving in. Anything to retain her lead role as Juliet.

"We should pretend we're dating," Travis said like it was obvious.

"Seriously?" Katie choked out. "That's terrible…but, regretfully, you're right. It may be our only chance."

"I'm right for once," Travis looked proud of himself.

"Only when we're practicing, though," Katie clarified. "Not in public."

"Of course," Travis agreed. "My popularity status would plummet if we did it in public."

Katie punched him. Travis rubbed his arm regretfully.

"I think we should each have a challenge to keep us motivated to do this," Travis added.

"Yeah, because I would totally give up if there was nothing in this besides getting the lead role," Katie nodded.

"The winner, or person who completes their challenge, gets to know that their better than the other. For good," Travis smirked. "And all our years of school we've been locked in a battle for supreme domination of the fact that we're better than the other. This would decide it."

"If you want to get all theatrical and dramatic on me, then yes, you could say that," Katie said. "So what about the challenges?"

"You'll pick mine and I'll pick yours," Travis replied. "that would be fair."

"You have to make me like you," Katie grinned evilly. "Like really like you, not just act like I like you."

"that's easy," Travis scoffed. "You underestimate my seducing and charming abilities."

"What's mine?" Katie asked, flipping her dark brown hair over her shoulder. "If you don't give me one you'll win."

"Yours…" Travis thought for a moment. "You have to make me want to be your boyfriend. I have to want you."

"That's not hard," Katie replied. "So, when do we start?"

Travis wrapped an arm around Katie's waist and pulled her close, putting his mouth by her ear. "It's already started, Gardner," he whispered.

A smile tugged at Katie's lips. "Let the game begin."

* * *

Travis's phone rang. Katie was watching Travis intently, trying to figure out who was calling.

"Hey, what's up, Conner?" Travis asked into the phone. "No, I'm Gardner's house…No!...Okay…Yeah…Bye."

"What's he want?" Katie asked.

"I need to go home and pick up pizza for him on the way," Travis replied.

"I'll bet he asked what you were doing at my house," Katie guessed.

"Of course," Travis said. "It's Conner."

"You know what I think?" Katie said.

"What?"

"I think your name starts with a T for trouble, and Conner's starts with a C for curious. Imagine that, Curious and Trouble. It suits you well."

"I think your last name starts with a G for Good Girl," Travis retorted.

"I am not a good girl!" Katie argued.

"Have you ever been sent to the office?"

"Um, yeah."

"For doing something bad?"

"No."

"Have you ever gotten a discipline note from a teacher?"

"No."

"Have your parents ever gotten a phone call from school?"

"No."

"See?" Travis asked. "Good Girl. I have a new nickname for you! Triple G—Good Girl Gardner."

"Good Girl Gardner's gonna get arrested for murdering Trouble Travis if he doesn't get out of my house," Katie threatened.

"I'm so scared!" Travis put a hand to his chest. "I'm going to be killed by Triple G!"

Katie seethed quietly. "And you're also going to lose your challenge if you keep this up."

"You've already lost, Triple G, so just give up."

"I've already lost?" Katie demanded. "You've already overstayed your visit. Besides, if I don't kill you, Conner will eat you out of starvation if you don't pick up his pizza."

"Fine," Travis picked up his bag. "I'll see you tomorrow, Triple G."

Katie held back a biting response. This was tame compared to other exchanges they'd had in the past. But Travis was right; she'd never win her challenge. However, she was consoled by the fact that Travis wouldn't win either. His "charming skills" sucked. They might work on other girls, but not Katie Gardner. She hated him deep down.

She sighed. At least Travis wouldn't go to college with her; he wasn't smart enough to go to the colleges she had in mind. Besides, why would he go to a college for farming, anyway? So just this year left and she'd be Stoll free. Katie was so excited.

* * *

**So, not much Tratie yet, but don't get your manes in a tangle (sorry, my brother is obsessed with saying that). Hope you like the story and the virtual cookies you get for reviewing! -Midnight Star 2373**

**P.S. I hope this story doesn't sound too much like ****_The Dating Game_****. I'm not trying to copy or anything. Trust me, it will be a lot different**.

**P.P. S don't forget to guess the song :)**


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